Friendly Fire
by BloodOnMyTeeth
Summary: Ginny is feeling loneliness for the first time as she takes a break from the 30 years of chaos that is her life. On a childish whim she decides to head into Diagon Alley, only to bump into Draco Malfoy, who understands her loneliness better than most.


**WARNING! There are a couple of minor Cursed Child spoilers in this story. Nothing too major but if you don't want to know anything, then I suggest you don't read any further until you've read the playscript.**

 **This is just an idea I had about Ginny and Draco's similarities and how they'd actually make good drinking buddies. Not my best but I just wanted to get this out. I hope you enjoy! P.S. I love reviews :P**

Ginny's house was quiet. The kids were all away at Hogwarts, Harry was working. As were Ron and Hermione. Ginny'd never thought as a child, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of The Burrow, dreaming of becoming an adult, that it could ever be this lonely. Don't get it wrong, Ginny loved peace and quiet as much as anyone but it was _too_ quiet. Her mandatory days off from work were wearing on her more than her job ever did.

Her boss at the Daily Prophet had ordered her to take two weeks at home as her holidays and sick days had mounted since Lily left for Hogwarts two years ago. With Harry working every day Ginny had no reason to take days off, as well as the fact that she loved her work. Slumping down at the kitchen table after filling the sink to handwash her lone teacup, simply for something to do, Ginny sighed, resting her chin on her hand. There was no housework, no laundry or sweeping to be done. No errands to run. Nothing to do.

She had soon realised that their house held nothing for her when it was empty. Even the books on her shelves had all been read before, so they didn't interest her enough to keep her occupied. Ginny rolled her eyes, realising the sadness of that thought. Reading was Hermione's hobby, not hers. She didn't have hobbies, with all the chaos in her adult life she'd never thought about what she enjoys doing by herself, so now she was simply mimicking others' ideas of hobbies, again, simply to pass the time.

Then, a cheeky, childish thought hit her.

She was an adult. Maybe not the adult her younger self had dreamed she'd be but at least she could grant the child within her one wish. She could go to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour and eat all the ice cream she wanted, even if it was only eleven in the morning.

And even if it was only out of boredom.

So, shaking her head at what being cooped up for a week had done to her, usually, sane mind, she pulled on her brown, leather boots and grabbed her jacket and bag, running out of the front door before she could change her mind.

* * *

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," Ginny said to herself as she stood outside the ice cream parlour, staring into the little shop and wondering exactly what had possessed her to come here to sit and eat ice cream alone at midday.

"And what would you be up to, Mrs Potter?"

The voice behind her startled Ginny and she quickly spun around, her body reacting defensively to the sudden interruption.

"Ow!"

"Malfoy?"

"Do you usually whip people in the eye with your hair, or am I an unlucky exception?" Draco grunted, his right eye squinting and slightly watering.

"Oh dear! I'm sorry, you startled me, Malfoy," Ginny replied, trying to contain her laughter. "You shouldn't sneak up on people."

"We're in the middle of the street," Draco protested, wiping underneath his eye. "I wasn't sneaking up on anyone, you obviously weren't paying attention to your surroundings."

Ginny chuckled, "I suppose you're right."

"It happens," he teased, raising his blonde eyebrow. "So, what was this "bad idea" of yours anyway?"

Malfoy glanced at the parlour behind her, bringing her back to it as well. She turned, careful not whip her hair again as his head jerked back a little. The both had a little smile at his reaction.

"If you must know, Malfoy, I was going to get some ice cream," Ginny informed him, crossing her arms as she expected some form of sarcasm from him about her desire for ice cream at midday.

"Ooh yes, Potter, very bad idea indeed. I see your terrible conundrum," he remarked, eyebrow going up again. There was the sarcasm, even if it wasn't in the form that she'd expected. He couldn't help himself.

"Har, har," she replied, rolling her eyes at him. Draco stared, waiting for her to explain. "Ugh! It was just a childish idea to pass time, that's all."

He chuckled, looking back at the quaint parlour. "Of all the ways I've tried to pass time, eating some ice cream doesn't sound like the worst idea."

"Care to join me?" Ginny asked tentatively, not missing the loneliness in that statement. Plus, it would mean she didn't have eat alone. Or go home any time soon.

"I'm not sure that would be entirely appropriate," he shook his head slightly, looking around as though suddenly aware that they were in public.

"And why not?" Ginny challenged, placing a pale, freckly hand on her waist.

Draco opened his mouth to speak but closed it again, nodding and outstretching his arm, silently telling Ginny to lead him into the shop.

* * *

And that is how they both ended up in Ginny's kitchen, four hours later, a third of the way down a bottle of Firewhiskey.

"Oh, you should have seen the look on his miserable face," Draco laughed, the corners of his eyes creasing in a way that not many people had seen before.

He'd just finished telling Ginny about how he had stood up to his father for the first time when Lucius had challenged Astoria on her views on bloodlines.

"Well, I'm proud of you," Ginny praised, raising her tumbler towards him before taking a swig of fire.

"Well thanks, I can now rest easy at night, knowing my life long dream of gaining your approval has been accomplished," he joked, smirking at her and taking a gulp of his own drink.

"Sounds like she was a good woman, your wife."

Draco's face fell, his index finger circling the rim of his glass. "She was."

"I'm sorry," Ginny apologised, biting the inside of her cheek and reaching for the large bottle on the table to refill her glass.

"Don't be," he sighed, pushing his glass towards her on the table so she could also refill his drink. True to herself, Ginny snorted, pushing both the glass and bottle towards him so he could pour his own drink. Draco laughed softly, smiling apologetically. "I can't not talk about her forever. We've all seen the damaging affects that has." Ginny smiled sadly.

"Yes. I hope things are going well between you and Scorpius," she asked, resting on her elbows and wrapping her slim hands around her glass.

"They're better. Getting there," he replied. "How about Potter and Albus?"

"Getting there," Ginny repeated, nodding gently.

These past few years hadn't been without their troubles but Ginny had noticed a definite change in Harry and Albus' relationship. A new understanding between the two.

"So, why aren't you working?" Draco changed the subject, an obvious effort to lighten the mood.

"Not out of choice, I'll tell you that," she grumbled. "I've let my holiday days add up and been forced to take a break. I'd much rather be at work, I don't know what to do with all the free time."

"Believe me, I get it," he sighed. "It drives me insane, doing nothing. I thought this was what I wanted. When I was young, I thought I would grow up and spend my life doing nothing and be happy about it. Turns out, I was wrong."

"Well, I never imagined adult life to be so boring and lonely," Ginny confessed. "I didn't think for a second that me and my "adult friends" would have time consuming jobs and responsibilities."

Draco simply nodded, sipping his drink, deep in thought.

*POP*

"Ginny! I'm home and I've brought some food-," Harry stopped in the doorway when he saw Draco, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Hello..."

"Harry, welcome home," Ginny got up, swaying a little as she walked over to him. "Whoops. A little too much, I think." She placed her glass on the table and hugged him. Harry's weary eyes were still on Draco.

"Malfoy," he greeted him with a confused tone. "Anything the matter?"

"No, no, Potter. I'm simply here on a social visit," he informed. "Hmm, who'd have ever thought it, 'ey?" Draco chuckled as he stood from the wooden chair.

"Oh, you don't have to go," Ginny insisted, waving her hands at him to sit down.

"No, I should be going," he protested, smiling appreciatively at Ginny. "Thanks for the drink and your company today, Ginny."

"Well, if you're going, I'm gunna insist you use the floo network, Malfoy," Harry tapped the neck of the Firewhiskey bottle to explain. "Wouldn't want you to get splinched."

"Yes, that would be more sensible," Draco concluded, placing his gloves into his coat pocket.

Ginny smiled at their civil exchange, momentarily remembering their rival relationship in school.

"You'll have to stop by this week, Draco," Ginny told him as she lead him into the living room and holding out the pot of floo powder.

"Well, yes, um... I'll see you around, I'm sure," he nodded, awkwardly. "Goodbye, Ginny."

"I'll see you soon, Draco."

 **Thanks for reading! I hope you all enjoyed it. If not my rushed, mind-puke writing then the idea of Ginny and Draco's possible friendship, at least.**


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